Reel Life December 2022

Fishing Report Media survey we are listing

Auckland/Waikato Fish & Game would like to thank all of you who took the time to fill in our media survey.

There were some very interesting findings about how our customers consume their fishing media and how we can better serve you.

It turns out that most of you enjoy spin fishing as well as fly fishing.

Most importantly, it is clear that many of you have traded paper magazines for YouTube when it comes to fishing content.

In terms of Reel Life, we will do our best to provide up-to-date fishing reports and produce more coarse fishing content.

Staff will be exploring a commercial partner (guide or fishing store) to help with the fishing report content.

We aim to update how we deliver our content over the next year.

Above Right: Percentage of time spent spin, bait or fly fishing.

Every brown trout in the Waikato will be migrating in the next month

The Waikato River is nearing the maximum temperature most trout will tolerate, so it is time to shift your focus from the Waikato to Waipa tributaries as nearly all of the brown trout in the lower Waikato will be on the move in the next couple of weeks.

Targeting the mouth of cool Pirongia tributaries should be productive starting this week.

Fish will soon move to cooler water provided by streams with bush cover like the Kaniwhaniwha, upper Waipa, Mangatutu and Puniu.

The best way to predict the timing of the brown trout migration is to watch the council river monitoring site, and when the Waikato hits 19C° the fish will be on the move.

Whanganui River float fishing adventure is open for business

The Upper Whanganui is one of the best trout fishing rivers in the North Island.

The area upriver of Kakahi is largely private land, and this section of the river is rarely fished.

We published an article on a new commercial trip that will allow anglers to float the upper Whanganui River from Whangaipeke Station to the Pukehou Road Quarry.

There was a delay getting this float trip up and running, but Blazing Adventures (0800BLAZIN) is now taking bookings.

Staff member Adam Daniel recently floated this stunning stretch of river with his daughter and thinks it is a perfect day trip that anyone can enjoy.

Floating is an easy way to enjoy fishing on the upper Wanganui River, and aside from a couple of overhanging trees to avoid, this is a safe trip suitable for anyone that is comfortable in a canoe.

For more information, contact Blazing Adventures 021 991 564.

Have you seen large aggregations of koi carp?

Department of Conservation staff are continuing to work on Koi carp control measures in the Auckland/Waikato Region and are creating a map of spawning areas.

During October and November Koi carp spawn in shallow lake or river margins in the Waikato area.

There is potential to target large numbers of fish for removal if the spawning areas are known and spawning timing can be predicted.

If you have seen a large spawning aggregation of koi carp, please send a map or the GPS coordinates to adaniel@fishandgame.org.nz.

Tight Lines

Adam Daniel, Auckland Waikato Fish &Game